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Discovery of The Sunshine Mine 


- 3 


A Wonderful Bridge 


10 


Ancestor Mine 


- 15 


Fern Seed - - - 


18 


A Little Dutch Garden 


- 18 


Daffodils 


20 


What the Birds Sing - 


- 22 


For the Boy Is Away 


23 


June - - - 


- 25 


Neighbors - - - 


27 


Spanish Match Boy 


- 30 


Wild Poppies 


32 




(Talifontia Sunshine 

Land where the days are as 
golden bells 
Ringing out joyous hours. 
Land where the golden sun- 
shine flits 
Over the winter flowers , 
Land of my heart — / fain 
would tell 
All the vain world, I love 
thee well. 






I had left the tired miners 
When the sun was turning to gold 
The long line of purple mountains, 
And the tall peaks rugged and bold. 

I was just a toiling miner 

At work on the "Eagle's Wing" 

claim 
Searching, alas ! searching vainly, 
Yet hoping and toiling the same. 
3 





Upon my shoulder I carried 
Pick and shovel that day in June; 
All down the trail to the cabin 
I was whistling a merry tune. 

I gleefully called, ' Come, Sun- 
shine ^ 

No golden-haired girl could I see: 

When the sun shone down Blue 
Canyon, 

She was always waiting for me. 

The sunlight fell on the cabin, 
And danced in the open door, 
A slanting pathway of glory 
It made on the rude wooden floor. 




No answer; but silence, silence, 
Save the cry of a lonely bird. 
And the summer breezes sighing 
Through the tree tops was all I 
heard. 

In yesterday' s fair June weather. 
Up the canyon, rock strewn and 

wide. 
To find the first wild columbines 
We had wandered at eventide. 

As swift as a bullet that flies 
From gun to the heart of a deer; 
As crushing, stunning, and hopeless— 
Came to me the terrible fear 





That Sunshine in search of flowers 
Up the trail had wandered away, 
And I, who had forgotten God, 
In my agony knelt to pray. 



I thought of the icy-cold winds 
From peaks of eternal snow, 
Of cruel, hungry, prowling wolves, 
And of chasms that yawned below. 



Half-dazed with terror I stumbled 
Up the canyon wild with despair. 
To search for my little daughter, 
My Sunshine with bright golden 
hair. 

6 






Around a boulder I hastened, 
And there among the wild flowers. 
Filling her little checked apron, 
My Sunshine had wandered for hours. 



>< 



I was lost, papa, and frightened," 
Sunshine sobbed, and — and I sobbed 

too. 
**I came up the canyon, papa — 
To find pretty flowers for you." 

"Down there is my shoe," said 

Sunshine; 
It was where a stream used to run, 
A silvery, gliding serpent 
It had seemed in the summer sun. 





Down the deep ravine I hastened 
To bring back the little worn shoe, 
Sobbing, I struck with pick the rocks, 
As any old miner would do. 

I had shattered gold-bearing quartz, 
Through its heart ran a golden line ; 
'Tis the richest claim in the State, 
And I call it " The Sunshine Mine." 





To him sweet cherry blossoms, 
The pride of fair Japan. 

The dainty, dainty blossoms 
They paint on screen and fan 



Once on this yearly journey. 
Misfortune did betide; 

Before the timid rabbits 

Rolled river deep and wide. 



The rabbits were affrighted, 
A word they could not say, 

And trembled ev' ry timid nose 
Above its cherry spray. 
11 






Their "Wise Man" they con- 
sulted, 

He looked down on his toes, 
And like the other rabbits, 

Trembled his small pink nose. 

The '* Wise Man " paused and 
pondered. 

He looked down on his toes. 
But soon he cried, " O! rabbits, 

I have a thought — who knows.?" 

He gave his cherry blossom 

Into a neighbor's care, 
And close unto the river 

With haste he did repair. 



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>-i i 



In voice most clear and winning 

Recalled, **Come, crocodiles, 

Come here — I want to count 

you," 

His face was wreathed with 
smiles. 

This call he kept repeating, 
Until like grey-brown isles, 

From out the reeds and rushes 
Came grinning crocodiles. 



Now if you will oblige me," 
The "Wise-Man" rabbit said, 
'Stand side by side, O ! neighbors, 
And I will count each head." 






The crocodiles obliging. 
Stood proudly side by side 

Until they bridged the river — 
The river deep and wide. 

Com eon," the*' Wise-Man" 
shouted, 
"Rabbits, I'll lead the way." 
Each joyous rabbit followed — 
Holding his pink-white spray. 






In dimpled hand a crimson whip holds 

fast, 
A suit of mauve, with frills of dainty 

lace, 
Bright scarlet shoes, a brooch of jewels 

rare; 
His sweet young self looks out of 

ancient frame 
With eyes of deepest blue — a soulful 

face; 
A gentle mouth, yet firm, and face 

most fair — 
My great-great-grandfather, the wee 

one's name. 





Have you heard it said, I wonder, 
What wild-wood fairies do, 

That mortals may not see them 
pass? 
Put Fern Seed in each shoe. 

So if some one proves unfriendly, 
The wisest thing to do 

Is to follow fairy fashion, 
Put Fern Seed in each shoe. 





There' s a little Dutch garden, and oh ! 

it is sweet, 
Abloom in the town, and not far from 

the street. 

The seeds were all mixed for the 

fairies to sow, 
Never did flowers more charmingly 

grow. 

There are poppies, pansies, and snap- 
dragons too. 
Forget-me-nots fair and violets blue. 
18 






Heartsease and hyacinths, buttercups 

bright, 
Mignonette, myrtle, and lilies so 

white. 

Candytuft, cornflowers — Germany' s 

pride, 
Scarlet geraniums, sad morning bride. 

Daffodils, daisies — just wait while I 

think. 
Marigolds, dahlias, and many a pink. 

Hollyhocks, harebells, and strange 

though it be. 
Flowers that only the fairies can see. 
19 






Once up each side a garden path 
Two lines of daffodils did stray, 

Two golden chains of memory 
That link my childhood with today. 

Up to an old colonial house, 
From gate to doorsill,side by side, 
Were daffodils in yellow gowns, 
Gay daffodils, New England's 
pride. 

A little girl stood in the door, 

O ! dearest blossoms ' neath the sky, 
Her heart was filled with love for 
thee, 
O, daffodils ! that girl was I. 





. . VA ./^ 




I reside in a flat — 
As unlucky a cat — 
As e'er caught a rat. 

'Tis an upper flat too, 
With a very fine view, 
And really quite new. 

I've a neighbor called Fritz — 
Who's a thoroughbred Spitz; 
He oftentimes sits 

27 






On the lower flat stairs, 
And he puts on fine airs 
While at me he glares. 

I am timid and so 
I do not go below, 
Though glances I throw. 

'Twas a very bright day. 
And I heard some one say 
That Fritz was away. 

Down the long stairs I went 
On an outing intent, 
But soon did repent. 





Wll5 IJopfles 

Beautiful golden wild poppies 
That nod in the soft summer air, 

Well were you chosen the emblem 
Of land of all lands most fair. 

^ Who planted you, golden poppies? 

Were you here when the world 

was new? 

Were you painted by the morning? 

Do you mirror the sunset's hue? 







7< 



Do you grow from seeds of bright 
gold 

That are hidden away from sight? 
Are you stars come down from the sky 

That shine in the radiant light? 

Are you golden cups o'erflowing 
With jewels of raindrops and dew? 

Why are you so constant hearted 
To the State that has chosen you ? 

With gold you carpet the meadows 
Like the gold-paved land of the 
blest — 

Wild poppies, the flower emblem 
Of the State of the Golden West. 





^ < 



IKuTLlttle Sutt-!ftrowne61Kal Xp ^ 

From the dark closet's highest shelf 

I took his small hat down, 
His little hat with ragged brim, 

Sun-browned, with broken crown. 



I fancied I should hear his step 
Come bounding down the stair, 

Should see his merry laughing eyes, 
His burnished, wind-tossed hair. 

I held it with caressing hands. 
And cried ** Come back to me. 

And claim the little sun-browned hat," 
Alas ! it cannot be. 




This morning as I sat upon the steps, 
A stranger looked at me and said 
*' Blue Violets," 
I wonder why? 
My teacher looked at me most sweet 

today, 
And said, ** Sometimes God lets an 
angel cheer our way/' 
I wonder why? 
And Jesus Christ who loves the world 

so much — 
Said of a little child, ** My Kingdom 
is of such," 

I wonder why? 






An ancient clock in the corner stands, 
There are pewter dishes on dresser tall, 
And fire-arms of the old-time war 
Are crossed together upon the wall. 

A silver pathway the moonlight makes 
In slanting brightness upon the floor. 
And the fitful flare of firelight 
Casts wild, weird shadows upon the 
door. 

3S 





iDance of l^e IFivcflUs 



The fireflies have a dance tonight, 
Rice-fields and rivers are all alight. 
Fireflies are but stars on the wing, 
Summer night dancers — ting-a-ling- 
ling! 






I love the butterflies — pretty things — 
^ And the bees that never will restj 
But of all the insects — do not laugh, 
I love *' Daddy Long Legs ' ' the best. 
Such a little gray man with so many 

legs, 
That roamed through my childhood' s 

hours, 
Sometimes on the ceiling high he'd 

stray. 
Sometimes on the garden flowers. 
He never bit me — I had no fear. 
And I always called him "Daddy 

dear. ' ' 

43 







A friend was the cricket on the hearth, 
Who chirped of the glad Christmas 

day; 
A friend was the grasshopper out on 

the lawn, 
And locust who piped in the hay. 
There was the Lady Bug — showy 

thing — 
Whose house was always on fire. 
Who had to fly home in desperate 

haste, 
Lest children dear should expire. 
I thought her prettier than the rest. 
But *' Daddy Long Legs" I loved 

the best. 



>C 




'Tor Violets T^Vre Sweet " 

** Buy my violets, lady, 
For violets are sweet," 

Pleaded a soft Italian voice 
Upon the city street. 

O ! voice and eyes pathetic 

Of boy upon the street, 
I filled my hands with violets. 
For violets are sweet. ' ' 




2? 19tO 



I IBRARY OF CONGRESS 

015 938 183 3 



